Acetylene-gas machine.



No. 643,982. Pa' tented Feb. 20, I900. c. E. ROSS.

A'CETYLENE GAS MACHINE.

(Application filed Sept. 26, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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a gas-machine that can be used for portable UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES EDMOND ROSS, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

ACETYLENE-G AS MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,982, dated February 20, 190( Application filed September 26, 1898. Serial No. 691,957. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, CHARLES EDMOND Ross, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoln, in the State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Acetylene-Gas Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in acetylenegas machines for both portable and stationary lighting in which the heft of water is used to keep a sufficient pressure on the gas and automatically wet carbid to keep the proper volume of gas on hand; and the objects of my improvements are, first, to make a gas-machine that is simple and not likely to get out of order; second, to make a gasmachine without any automatic valves or levers to get out of order, and, third, to make as well as stationary work. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which the figure is a vertical section of the entire machine.

It consists of the following parts: lower tank D and upper tank E, which have connected to them generator A, water-valve B, threeway cock 0, escape-pipe J, reducing-valve H, and pipe F, which connects the upper and lower tanks.

The machine will be understood after describing its operation, which is as follows: Shut off the water-valve B and throw the three-way cock so that the generator will be open outdoors through escape-pipe J, loosen thumb-screws K K and take the generator away from the lid, which is held stationary by the pipe connections, place carbid in generator, replace generator and fasten it gastight by thumb-screws and gasket, open valve B, and throw the three-way cock to the point that closes the connection from generator to escape-pipe and connects lower tank D with generator A. The lower tank D must be nearly full of water when machine is first started. Then only alittle need to be put in by way of the upper tank each time the generator is recharged. As the water in tank D is above the water-pipe B, it will be seen that water will flow through valve and pipe B onto the carbid, and as it does this gas will be generated and flow by way of thethree-way cock into the lower tank D, and as the gas accumulates in tank D it forms a pressure and also pass up pipe F and up through water in upper tank and escape outdoors through pipe J. As the gas is used from tank D the water will flow from upper tank E back through pipe F into lower tank until it gets high enough to flow into the water-valve B again and start the generation of gas, as before. This operation will be kept up until all the carbid in generator A is exhausted. In this form of gas-machine there will be a Variation in the pressure of gas. It is therefore necessary to have a pressure-regulating valve to keep a constant pressure to the burners. The valve for that purpose is shown at H, which is connected to the pipe I, leading to the lights. It will be understood that this valve may be in the form of any of the wellknown pressure-regulators used for similar purposes.

This machine can be made in a Variety of shapes to fit any place in a house or railroad car where it would be most convenient to have it. The tanks may be made long and stand one above the other in a corner or placed horizontal on brackets.

By the special arrangement of the pipe J with branches leading to both the upper and lower chambers and to the generator and with a single valve controlling its connection with the lower chamber and with the generator I provide a simple easily-operated mechanism by which to effectually control the operation and to permit the read y renewal of the carbid.

I am aware that prior to my invention acetylene-gas machines have been made in many different forms; butI have not seen or heard of any like the one set forth in the above specification.

What I claim, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an acetylene-gas machine, the combination of the upper tank, the lower tank, the

from the generator and having abranch connecting it with the upper tank and upper and I 5 lower branches connecting it with the lower tank, a valve in the lower branch connection, and a valve controlling the escape-pipe at the juncture therewith of the upper branch connection with the lower tank, substantially as 20 set forth.

CHARLES EDMOND ROSS.

Witnesses:

W. K. DYE, ED WILSON. 

